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Most newly honed walkers (or runners) would rather ramble than roost. But just because your squirmy toddler hasn’t mastered sitting still for an entire read-through of Moo, Baa, La, La, La! doesn’t mean she’s destined to be book-shy: She’s just acting her (still very young) age. You can get your little wanderer to sit and stay awhile, though. Some tips on reading to toddlers:

Establish toddler reading rituals. Toddlers are most cooperative when they know what to expect, so set a regular story time at least once a day, and schedule it for when your tot tends to be mellowest — right after her bath, say, or first thing in the morning before she gets revved up. Make each session as consistent as possible, too. Cuddle in the same cozy chair, for example.

Tap into your inner thespian. Use different voices for different characters, throw in silly sound effects, change up an awkward rhyme, insert names of family and friends into the story, and feel free to skip entire sentences when you notice your audience’s attention is wandering.

Give her a job. She’ll stay more focused on the task at hand if she actually has a task. Ask her to point to different characters or objects in an illustration (“Where’s the mommy?” “Where’s the mommy’s shoe?”) or to answer simple questions about what she sees on the page (“Hey, there’s a cow! What does a cow say?”). When you’re reading a book for the umpteenth time and you both know every word by heart, stop just before the end of a sentence, and let your child finish it.

Toddler Reading Challenge #2: She won’t keep her hands to herself!

Toddlers like to get their little mitts on anything and everything. When that touchy-feely nature interferes with reading, don’t fight it — indulge it! Here’s how:

Give your tot something to hang on to. If she’s got a favorite doll or stuffed toy to pat and stroke, she’ll be less likely to have grabby hands.

Put her to work. Older toddlers especially have the manual dexterity to turn paper pages, so make it your child’s “job” to do the honors. Turn it into a game — she has to wait for you to say “Next” or to make a specific sound (“Ding!”) before she turns over a new leaf.

Opt for pop-ups — sometimes. Studies show that toddler learning doesn’t benefit as much from pop-up books, lift-the-flap ones, and other manipulative reads, but they’re still fun and they do provide plenty of hands-on experience for the kid who just can’t keep her hands to herself.

Toddler Reading Challenge #3: She insists on reading the same book over, and over, and over.

Toddlers love repetition. It makes them feel secure, confident, and in control (at least for a few minutes). So just because you’ve had enough of Knuffle Bunny’s adventures in the laundromat after 20 readings doesn’t mean your tot has. Some ways to ramp up re-reading and make it less mind-numbing for you:

Ham it up. The same tactic you use to keep your cutie engaged will make each repeated reading of a beloved book fresh for you. Be as dramatic as possible as you read, try on different accents (imagine if Clifford had a Southern drawl!), crank up the silliness a notch.

Ask her to “predict” what will happen next. Of course she’ll get it right — and feel super-smart for doing so. You can skip reading the parts she fills in, and enjoy her sense of pride and accomplishment.

Steer her (gently) toward other books. At each toddler reading session, suggest an alternate story. If she’s enamored of Miss Spider or Corduroy, find a different book that features that character, for example. Visits to the library or a local bookstore for story time may also help to turn her head. And remember: Even if you’re bored to tears, every single reading of a beloved book will bring a new level of understanding and satisfaction to your little one — and that, after all, should be worth every word you read over and over again.

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